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Winemaker's Notes

Cabernet from this iconic 40-year-old vineyard consistently delivers power, structure and rich concentrated black fruit. This is a dense, decadent wine with great aging potential. The 2009 vintage is 100% pure Cabernet with intense dark blackberry and plum fruit flavors and long finish. This is a true steakhouse red!

Critical Acclaim

RP89

The Wine Advocate - "For thoughts on Chateau Ste Michelle's uniqueness and recent evolution, consult my extensive April, 2013 text designed to introduce recent tasting notes. Peppery, smoky dark tobacco, and pungently green herbal notes tweak the nose from the glass of Ste Michelle's 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Cold Creek Vineyard, then add interest to a predictably dark ripe berry-dominated, plush palate. There is faint heat (from just over 15% alcohol) and chew in the finish but also impressively persistent sweetness of fruit. "Cold Creek fruit can go from being not-yet-ready to being beyond ready within 72 hours," notes Bertheau, who appears to have picked just in time here."

Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery

Founded in 1934, Chateau Ste. Michelle is the oldest winery in Washington with some of the most mature vineyards in the Columbia Valley. The winery combines Old World winemaking with New World innovation and is best known for its award-winning Riesling, Chardonnay, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Chateau Ste. Michelle receives some of the highest accolades in the industry, including "American Winery of the Year" by Wine Enthusiast for 2004 and "2005 Winery of the Year" by Restaurant Wine. In addition, the winery's Eroica Riesling, crafted from a partnership with German winemaker Ernst Loosen, has been named to Wine Spectator's prestigious "Top 100" wines list for five consecutive years.

Chateau Ste. Michelle is one of the few premium wineries in the world with two state-of-the-art wineries, one devoted to whites and another to reds. This dedicated approach to winemaking allows winemaker Bob Bertheau to build winemaking programs to the unique specifications of red and white wines. While all of Chateau Ste. Michelle's vineyards are located on the east side of the Cascade Mountains where the climate is dry and sunny, Bob Bertheau makes the award winning white wines in Woodinville, 15 miles northeast of Seattle. The winery's expansive, 87-acre estate hosts more than 250,000 visitors annually for tours, tastings, dinners and outdoor summer concerts.
View all Chateau Ste. Michelle Wines

About Columbia Valley

Columbia Valley is the largest of Washington State's wine growing regions, with almost 11 million acres. It encompasses a number of smaller regions, including Yakima Valley, Walla Walla Valley, Red Mountain and more. The vast area consists of a range of climates, allowing viticulturists to plant a diverse selection of grape varieties. Most wineries plant rows sparsely, which helps the vines survive the harsh winters.

About Washington

Now the number two producer in the United States, Washington State has also grown in quality.

So how does a state known for rain and coffee produce high quality wines? They plant their grapes on the east side of the Cascade mountains, away from that ever-present rain cloud that sits along the coast. Perhaps wine grapes do well since the sandy loam soils east of the Cascade range give way to an almost desert-like land, saved from drought only by the helpful rivers that run through the area – and the good irrigation systems.

Thinking that the state would do best with typical northern growing grapes like Riesling and Gewurtztraminer, turns out the apple state is well-suited for reds, namely Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and, more recently, Syrah. Of course, whites have not been forgotten - Washington State Rieslings range from bone-dry to sweet, are well-structured and high quality, and Chardonnay dominates most of the other white plantings, making a range of wines. But the reds of the region, Merlot in particular, have made Washington State a quality force to be reckoned with.

We craft the Ethos Cabernet to showcase the power and richness of Washington fruit combined with Old World elegance. A
majority of the fruit comes from our 40 year old Cold Creek Vineyard which provides the wine’s power and structure. ...

This Sauvignon Blanc from our Horse Heaven Vineyard is a crisp, racy style of Sauvignon Blanc with citrus characteristics. We
use partial stainless steel fermentation to preserve the Sauvignon Blanc’s pure, fresh, vibrant character

This Cold Creek Riesling is made from 30 year old vines anddelivers a ripe, lush style of Riesling with aromas
of ripe peaches,dried apricots and spice notes. It displays beautiful fruit intensitywith a crisp finish.

Alcohol By Volume Guide

Most wine ranges from 10-16% alcohol by volume. Some varietals tend to have higher (for example Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon) or lower alcohol levels (Pinot Noir and many white varietals), but there is always some variation from producer to producer. Some wine falls outside of this range, for instance Port weighs in closer to 20%, while Muscat and Riesling are usually a bit below 10%.

Wine Style Guide

Light & Fruity

Red wines that are more fruit-forward and lighter in tannin and body.

Smooth & Supple

Medium bodied reds that go down easy, with smooth tannins and supple fruit.